Ajax defender Oleguer joins squatters protest

Controversial Ajax defender Oleguer joined anti-capitalist squatters for a protest in Amsterdam on Friday. The right-back arrived at the scene with a camera round his neck and took photos of the protest, including a photo of a camera crew he spotted filming him.

The ex-Barcelona man has regularly courted controversy over his political views. A staunch Catalan nationalist and socialist, he was arrested in 2007 in relation to a 2003 protest over the closure of a bar in his hometown, Sabadell, in which 20 people were injured. He was accused of throwing stones at police and there is still some uncertainty whether he will face further action.

The economics graduate and published author also faced a backlash from the Spanish media and fans over articles accusing the Spanish state of hypocrisy towards Catalan and Basque separatists, and over his refusal to represent Spain’s national team.

An Ajax spokesman said: “Oleguer has only participated in the peaceful area [of the protest]. We know that he attended and know his sympathies.”

Much more interesting than the scores of dull, media-trained footballers who wouldn’t express an opinion on something if there lives depended on it, at least.

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